Pearls by Angela Carol

Pearls Are Part Of Our Lives

Throughout history there have been many, many references to pearls.  Our world’s history shows that pearls have been around for centuries and have been one of the most precious jewels in the world.

Pearls have become somewhat lesser valued than they were in days long ago.  With the creation of cultured pearls we have made pearls and jewelry made from these precious items much more accessible than they were at one time.  Our history books are full of stories that show the importance of natural pearls and how they were so highly valued at times.  With a natural pearl being much harder to find hundreds of years ago than they are today it is no wonder they were valued so much higher than they are today.  Only the richest and most noble families could afford these prized jewels.

There is no sure reference to who actually first discovered the pearl but it has been written that the find may belong to a small fishing village along the coast of India.  These people were believed to be the first to appreciate the pearl for its beauty.  They would have found the pearls while opening oysters for food.  This theory was written in “The Book of Pearl” by George Federick.  India has many stories and legends that involve pearls.  One such story would be about the Hindu God, Krishna.  It is said that the god Krishna plucked a pearl from the oyster to give to his daughter Pandaia on her wedding day.  This is a story of how the pearl was created.

Pearls were highly prized by Romans during the first century B.C.  This is when the pearl craze was at its highest for Rome.  Women were said to decorate their couches and chairs with pearls and also to sew so many pearls into their gowns that they actually walked on pearl hems.  Caligula, who was the third Roman emperor and a bit insane it was rumored, actually decorated his beloved horse in pearls.

Another culture that treasured the pearl at the same time as the Romans did would have to be the Egyptian culture.  Egyptians used pearls in many items.  There is a story that states that the Queen Cleopatra had made a bet with her beloved Marc Antony that she would be able to throw the most expensive dinner in history.  This was done to show Rome that Egypt rich and wealthy that the empire was beyond Roman conquest.  Marc Antony agreed to the bet.  Cleopatra sat with an empty plate and a goblet of either wine or vinegar while Marc Antony reclined and waited.  She then took a very large pearl from a pair of earrings and crushed it on her plate.  Cleopatra then dissolved the pearl in the liquid of her goblet and drank the pearl concoction down.  Marc Antony conceded and declined to eat his dinner, which was the other earring.  Throughout history pearls find themselves intertwined with historical events.

The Arab culture shows probably the greatest appreciation for the pearl as the gem is mentioned in the Koran, the Muslim holy book.  The book describes Paradise and the pearl is said to be found there.  “The stones are pearls and jacinths; the fruits of the trees are pearls and emeralds’ and each person admitted to the delights of the celestial kingdom is provided with a tent of pearls, jacinths, and emeralds; is crowned with pearls of incomparable luster, and is attended by beautiful maidens resembling hidden pearls.”

In many different cultures the pearl has shown its beautiful shiny face.  Our world’s history has shown the significance of pearls over the ages.  Today pearls are still valued but with the invention of cultured pearls they will never be valued as they were in ancient times.